Maternal and fetal HLA-G 14 bp gene polymorphism in pregnancy-induced hypertension, preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restricted and normal pregnancies

• Published in: The journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine Vol. 29; no. 9; p. 1509
• Main Authors: Mandò, Chiara, Pileri, Paola, Mazzocco, Martina I, Lattuada, Debora, Zolin, Anna, Plebani, Maddalena, Massari, Maddalena, Calabrese, Stefania, Milani, Silvano, Cetin, Irene
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 02.05.2016
• Subjects: Adult; Case-Control Studies; Female; Fetal Growth Retardation - genetics; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; HLA-G Antigens - genetics; Humans; Polymorphism, Genetic; Pre-Eclampsia - genetics; Pregnancy; Feto-maternal immune tolerance; successful placentation; pregnancy pathology; genetic risk; obstetrical complications
• ISSN: 1476-4954
• DOI: 10.3109/14767058.2015.1052398

Trophoblast expression of Human Leukocyte Antigene-G (HLA-G) is essential for feto-maternal immune tolerance and successful placentation. There is contradicting evidence on the relationship between HLA-G polymorphisms and preeclampsia (PE), intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH). Here, we investigate the association between both maternal and fetal HLA-G 14 bp insertion/deletion polymorphism and obstetrical complications. Clinical and genetic data of 282 women/fetuses (31 severe PE, 8 mild PE, 46 IUGR, 42 PIH and 155 controls) were analyzed both individually and jointly under a codominant, a dominant and a recessive model. HLA-G 14 bp polymorphism was not associated with obstetrical complications, considering the mother and fetus genotypes both jointly and individually. With this study we filled several gaps occurring in previous studies: we analyzed a very well-defined population of PE, PIH and IUGR pregnancies, considering both fetal and maternal HLA-G 14 bp polymorphism, individually and jointly. Our findings showed that fetal and maternal HLA-G 14 bp genotypes are not associated with increased risk for the development of obstetrical complications, suggesting that this polymorphism has no immuno-modulatory role in the development of PE, PIH or IUGR.